Rochester Hearing & Speech Center

What Rochester Hearing & Speech Center does

Rochester Hearing & Speech Center (RHSC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1922 in Rochester, New York, providing audiology and developmental services across the lifespan with a primary focus on children from birth to age five. The organization operates three clinic locations in Monroe County (Rochester/Brighton, Greece, and Webster) and delivers services through in-home visits, TeleTherapy via Zoom, and community-based programs including the Early Intervention Playdates. Core clinical offerings include comprehensive audiology (hearing evaluations, hearing aid dispensing across multiple brands, cochlear implant mapping, tinnitus services, auditory processing disorder testing, and newborn hearing screenings) and educational/clinical services (Early Intervention for ages 0–3, Preschool Services for ages 3–5, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and special education). RHSC is the only nonprofit provider of Early Intervention services in Monroe County and a member agency of the Al Sigl Community of Agencies.

The underlying technology stack is modest and primarily clinical: therapeutic intervention platforms delivered in-person, virtually via Zoom, and in-home; GoTalk NOW augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) software deployed on iPads for non-verbal children in developmental groups; and SurveyMonkey for client feedback surveys. The technology function is delivery-enabling rather than competitive-differentiating, and no AI/ML capabilities, proprietary platforms, or data assets are evidenced.

RHSC's business model blends multiple nonprofit revenue streams: New York State Early Intervention program reimbursement (provided at no cost to families, with rates frozen for over 30 years), Medicaid and private insurance reimbursement for audiology and therapy services, hardware sales of hearing aids (including a $500 NFLPA-affiliated discount), recurring grants (notably from the Golisano Foundation), and donations raised through annual community events such as the Super Hear-O 5K and Ultimate 80s Party. The organization served 900+ children and delivered 37,800+ distinct services in 2023, and was recognized on the Rochester Business Journal 2024 Power List for Health Care under CEO Bob Russell.

Name

Rochester Hearing & Speech Center

Legal name

Rochester Hearing & Speech Center

Website

https://rhsc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Rochester Hearing & Speech Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1922 in Rochester, NY, providing audiology and early intervention/educational services to children birth through age five and individuals with hearing loss of all ages across three Monroe County clinic locations, in-home, and TeleTherapy delivery channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Audiology and Speech-Language Therapy Services

NAICS

Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340), Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (62134)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Audiology & Hearing Diagnostic Centers (HLAFAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outpatient Rehabilitation & Physical/Occupational/Speech Therapy Centers (HLAFABAB), Speech & Language Therapy (Early Intervention) (EDACAFAB), Vision & Hearing Early Intervention Services (EDACAFAN)

Keywords

• Audiology services
• Speech therapy
• Early intervention
• Hearing aids
• Occupational therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Healthcare Service Reimbursement: Revenue from New York State Early Intervention program reimbursement, Medicaid, and private insurance for therapeutic services including speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, audiology, and special education
2. Government/Grant Funding: Grant funding from foundations (Golisano Foundation) and government programs supporting early childhood development services
3. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations and fundraising events including Super Hear-O 5K and Ultimate 80s Party to support nonprofit mission
4. Hearing Aid Sales and Services: Sale of hearing aids and related hearing assistive technology with NFLPA partnership discount of $500 off

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rochester Hearing & Speech Center is a nonprofit organization delivering audiology and educational/clinical therapeutic services across the lifespan. Its primary offerings include comprehensive audiology care (hearing evaluations, hearing aid fittings, cochlear implant mapping, tinnitus and auditory processing services) and developmental therapies (speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, special education) for children from birth through age five via the New York State Early Intervention and Preschool programs, with supplemental TeleTherapy, assistive listening devices, and community-based programs.

Product overview

Rochester Hearing & Speech Center (RHSC) is a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of hearing healthcare and developmental services across the lifespan. The core offerings consist of Audiology Services (including hearing evaluations, hearing aids, assistive listening devices, and hearing conservation) and Educational & Clinical Services (including Early Intervention for children 0-3 years, Preschool Services for children 3-5 years, Speech & Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Special Education). Additional programs include TeleTherapy for virtual service delivery, Early Intervention Playdates for families on waitlists, Private Therapy Services, Preschool Summer Camps, and Grant Funded Programs. The organization serves as the only nonprofit provider of Early Intervention services in Monroe County, providing services to children from birth through age five and beyond, with a mission of 'Communication for Life.'

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hear & Now Blog: RHSC's blog featuring articles about early childhood services, audiology, fundraisers & events, and teaching videos.

Products and services

• Audiology Services Comprehensive hearing healthcare including hearing evaluations, hearing aid consultations/fitting/repairs, tinnitus consultations, newborn hearing screenings, auditory processing disorder testing, cochlear implant mapping, bone conduction evaluations, and aural rehabilitation for individuals of all ages.
• Early Intervention Services (0-3 years) Developmental services for infants and toddlers from birth to age three, including speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and special education to address developmental delays and disabilities, funded through NY State Early Intervention at no cost to families.
• Preschool Services (3-5 years) Developmental and educational services for children ages three to five, including preschool developmental groups, GROW screenings, and preschool evaluations to prepare children for kindergarten.
• Speech & Language Pathology Speech-language therapy services to help children and adults improve articulation, language comprehension, vocabulary development, sentence formation, and communication skills.
• Occupational Therapy Services Pediatric occupational therapy services to help children develop fine motor skills, sensory processing, self-care abilities, and independence in daily activities.
• Physical Therapy Services Pediatric physical therapy services to help children develop gross motor skills, mobility, balance, coordination, and physical strength.
• Special Education Services Specialized educational services and support for children with developmental disabilities, including individualized education plans and classroom integration support.
• Hearing Aids Comprehensive hearing aid services including consultations, fittings, repairs, and programming for Oticon, Phonak, ReSound, Signia, and Unitron brands.
• Assistive Listening Devices Assistive listening technology including HAT systems, custom ear plugs, custom swim plugs, and other devices supporting individuals with hearing loss.
• TeleTherapy Virtual therapy sessions via Zoom for speech-language, occupational, and physical therapy, particularly utilized during and after COVID-19 for remote families.
• Early Intervention Playdates Monthly free playdate events for families on the Early Intervention waitlist, where parents interact with licensed therapists while engaging in developmentally appropriate activities.
• Private Therapy Services Fee-for-service therapy sessions available for families seeking services outside of grant-funded or Medicaid-covered programs, including summer therapy sessions.
• Pediatric Audiology Specialized hearing evaluation and treatment for infants and young children, including newborn hearing screenings and age-appropriate diagnostic testing.
• Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) Services Testing and treatment for Auditory Processing Disorder, including specialized assessments and assistive technology recommendations.
• Tinnitus Services Consultations and management for tinnitus, including evaluation, counseling, and recommendations for coping strategies and treatments.
• Hearing Conservation and Wellness Hearing loss prevention, hearing wellness education, and conservation programs for individuals including musicians and those at risk of noise-induced hearing loss.
• Community Hearing Screenings Hearing screening services provided to the community, including free screening events and outreach programs for early detection of hearing loss.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 900 children served annually through Early Intervention and Preschool services
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major, flagship and core.

• Excellus BlueCross BlueShieldmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 June 2025Presenting sponsor for Super Hear-O 5K & Family Fun Day event. Partnership supports fundraising for hearing health and early intervention services in Rochester community.
• NFL Players Association Professional Athletes FoundationflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2024RHSC is a preferred hearing care provider for the NFL Players Association's Professional Athletes Foundation. Partnership aims to bring better hearing to former professional athletes and fans across the nation. Offers $500 off hearing aids with NFLPA discount code. Allows RHSC to advocate for hearing healthcare and showcase passion for helping those with hearing loss.
• Monroe County Department of Public HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 April 2022Year-long collaboration between Monroe County Department of Public Health and RHSC to promote public health initiatives related to hearing health and early childhood development services.
• Al Sigl Community of AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRHSC is an Al Sigl Member Agency. Al Sigl Community of Agencies provides shared resources, collaboration, and infrastructure support for member nonprofits serving individuals with disabilities and communication needs in the Rochester area.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Center for Hearing and Communication: Nonprofit audiology and speech-language provider serving individuals across the lifespan with hearing loss. Highly comparable to RHSC given its combined audiology + speech therapy nonprofit model and community-based delivery.
• Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech: Nonprofit organization delivering audiology, speech-language, and educational services for children with hearing loss. Comparable mission, audiology + early intervention service mix, and reliance on grants/donations.

Emerging players

• Cortica: Pediatric therapy provider combining ABA, speech, OT, and PT in integrated clinics. Comparable pediatric therapy footprint and multi-disciplinary model, though for-profit and autism-focused.
• Hopebridge: Multi-state pediatric autism and therapy center offering ABA, OT, PT, and speech services. Comparable outpatient pediatric therapy mix and recent clinic-rollout expansion strategy.
• Great Speech: Telehealth-only speech-language pathology provider serving all ages virtually. Comparable speech therapy core service and demonstrates the telehealth delivery model RHSC uses.
• Expressable: Online speech therapy practice offering 1:1 virtual sessions for children and adults. Comparable SLP service line and virtual delivery; an asset-light competitor to RHSC's in-person therapy.
• KidsCare Home Health: Pediatric home health agency providing in-home speech, OT, and PT services. Closely comparable to RHSC's in-home Early Intervention delivery model, though multi-state and for-profit.

Broad incumbents

• Miracle-Ear: National retail audiology franchise selling hearing aids and assessments. Comparable audiology/hearing-aid revenue stream but operates as a for-profit retail network rather than a nonprofit clinical provider.
• Beltone: Established hearing-care franchise offering hearing assessments and hearing-aid fittings nationwide. Comparable hearing-aid distribution and audiology service line at far broader scale.
• Amplifon: Global hearing-care retailer and hearing-aid distributor. Overlaps with RHSC's hearing-aid sales and audiology services but at multinational scale and as a for-profit listed company.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rhsctr
• Facebookfacebook.com/rochesterhearingandspeechcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rochester-hearing-and-speech-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/rhsctr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rochester Hearing & Speech Center